Stay Warm, NY! (And a Secret Snow Melt Hack from Your Pool Shed)

Hey everyone, Al here.

If you are anywhere near us in New York right now, you know we've been getting absolutely buried in snow. I hope you are all staying warm, staying safe, and keeping those driveways clear.

Speaking of clearing driveways, if you’ve run out of rock salt and the local hardware store is completely sold out, you might actually have a backup stash sitting right in your pool shed: Calcium Chloride.

In the pool world, we use Calcium Chloride as a "Hardness Increaser" to protect your plaster and equipment. But out in the cold? It is actually one of the most premium, fast-acting ice melts on the market. It can melt ice in temperatures as low as -25°F!

If you're in a pinch, you can absolutely sprinkle some of your pool's Calcium Chloride on your walkways and driveway to melt that stubborn ice. Just use it sparingly—a little goes a long way.

🚩 PRO TIP: The Heat is On! Since we're talking about Calcium Chloride, it's a great time for a quick pool safety reminder. When Calcium Chloride mixes with water, it creates an exothermic reaction—meaning it gets incredibly hot, very fast.

This is exactly why you should never dump batches of Calcium directly into your pool skimmer. If you dump it in the skimmer, the intense heat can actually warp, melt, or severely damage your plastic skimmer basket and underground plumbing. When it's time to add it to your pool in the summer, always broadcast it evenly across the deep end, or pre-dissolve it in a bucket of pool water first (always adding the chemical to the water, never the other way around!).

Stay safe out there, grab a shovel, and let’s hope for warmer pool weather soon!